These Are The Faces Of Made-In-America [Pics]

Recently, I was honored to be asked to listen to the pitches of designers and producers who were creating their own products in the US. They were introducing their product to Rachel Shechtman for consideration to be sold in her STORY store – and Rachel and I were also joined by Scott Prindle and brand building legend Alex Bogusky to make up the panel of judges.

The Makers who came before us were proud, they were nervous, they were excited, they wanted to share their achievements with the world. As I listened to them, I felt a number of themes emerging:

The ability for a creative to Make-In-America is rapidly opening up. I learned that the factories of the North East and New York’s Fashion District are beginning to seriously consider smaller runs by new producers. Previously, it had been very hard to convince these companies to work with new designers but a ground-swell of demand seems to have shifted attitudes.

There is a growing section of the market who want to buy into Made-In-America, own the stories behind the products, think of their purchase as a life-experience not a fleeting buy.

There’s an opportunity to create a wholesale network of consciously produced American sourced raw materials for these crafts people to buy from.

These creatives are making their products from their apartments, their sheds. Some do it in the evening, some are just making products they love, some borrow from their grandmother’s recipe and some are leaving careers they felt they ‘had no option but to pursue’ and are returning to what they learned in college.

I wanted to share these wonderful photographs taken on the night by Drew Innis of these young hopefuls presenting their products… [This post has been republished with their company names and you can always pop by STORY to see some of these interesting items yourself]. … What’s important is the beautiful diversity of talent that is out there, believing in themselves, and not shying away from the products they can build. Go America, go.

Rebecca Bravin, Charlie Sprout

“I just started to make these African-inspired pattern pillows from my apartment in the evenings.”